Independents want focus on regional healthcare

Health services in regional Australia are expected to be a major focus of the sales pitch presented by both parties to the three independents in an attempt to win their support for a minority government in coming days.

Labor increased spending on rural health services by 65 per cent to $795 million projected for the current financial year, but health providers said there was still a shortage of qualified staff willing to work in remote areas and a shortage of publicly funded facilities for patients.

Private healthcare providers such as Ramsay and Primary Health Care have argued they have played their part in providing private hospitals to regional areas but that any further expansion of services would require public funding.

“This is just what the doctor ordered – a hung Parliament," said Rural Doctors Association of Australia chief executive Steve Sant, of the increased focus the negotiations would bring to regional services.

“Our major concern is the workforce issue. We want to see positive programs to train up doctors for rural health and want to see increased rebates for more remote locations. We need to ensure people have access to rural Australia," Mr Sant said.

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More than half of rural Australians wait one or more weeks for a routine check-up with their general practitioner, with some waiting up to six months for an appointment.

“We’ve got a $1 billion annual underspend on Medicare expenditure alone per head in rural areas," Mr­ Sant said. “This means people are getting less services in the bush."

St John of God Health Care group chief executive
Michael Stanford
urged the government to increase financial incentives for healthcare professionals in remote areas and commit more funds to infrastructure in regional Australia.

“I think both Labor and the Coalition would be very responsible to pinpoint rural heath issues rather than simply throwing more money at the issue," Dr Stanford said.

“The big issue is access. Telemedicine has been around for 15 years but the MBS [Medicare Benefits Schedule] hasn’t allowed doctors to earn any money from that form of consultation," he said.

If elected, the Labor government plans to introduce Medicare rebates for online specialist consultations for patients in rural and outer-metropolitan areas.

Labor said it would expand services available through the national after-hours GP helpline, including doctor-patient video consultations. It plans to create 23 additional GP super clinics in regional areas and upgrade 425 GP centres.

The Coalition has proposed $10,000 bonuses for 300 nurse practitioners in remote communities. If elected, the Coalition planned to scrap Labor’s national broadband network and the super clinic program.

Bob Katter
, the member for Kennedy in far north Queensland, has called for a greater focus on rural Australia and said it would be a commitment to solving rural issues that would determine which party he chooses to support.

Rob Oakeshott
, the re-elected independent member for Lyne in NSW, said telecommunications in regional areas would be a key focus of his.

Tony Windsor
, member for New England in NSW, also pledged support for rural health.

Australian Medical Association president
Andrew Pesce
called for the government to increase incentives to attract doctors and nurses to remote areas. “It wouldn’t surprise me if the government needs to accommodate those individuals who have a regional focus," Dr Pesce said.

“Rural and remote and regional health has not had as much support as it needs. Hopefully there’s an increased focus to improve the systems there," he said.

He said the AMA would support the building of super clinics where it was the only way of bringing infrastructure to an area.

“We believe there can be a place for the super-clinic concept with taxpayer funding," Dr Pesce said.

“We think it would be better to add money to existing GP practices in areas of unmet need."